Printer s composing-stick



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.A

JAMES TIDGEWELL AND WILLIAM TIDGEWELL, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

PRINTERS COMPOSINGr-STICK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,457, dated J une 2, 1857.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that we, JAMES TIDGEWELL and WILLIAM TIDGEWELL, both of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printers Composing-Sticks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the composing stick complete and ready for use, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the brace part of the slide detached, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the line Fig. l, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of our invention relates to an arrangement of means by which the slide of the stick can be changed or adjusted in position and secured firmly in position when adjusted without the trouble and inconvenience attending the change or adjustment that is required with the composing stick in common use.

A is the body of the composing stick, formed of the same shape and material as those in ordinary use and made in the same manner except that the foot or bottom slide of it is solid or without apertures in it. B the slide which is moved back and forth upon the interior surface of the foot to increase or diminish the space in which the types are to be placed. C a flange, attached to-or, if the slide is made of malleable material-bent over from,-the upper edge of the slide, which incloses between it and the brace of the slide the foot of the stick. It has an aperture D made in it, in which a screw thread is cut and in which the milled headed screw E is fitted and placed to hold the slide securely to place when the screw is forced down upon the washer F-the screw being turned by the fingers placed on the milled edge of its head or by a screw driver or other implement placed in the nick in its head. F a washer interposed between the point of the screw and the exterior surface of the foot of the stick, for the purpose of giving a greater bearing to the thrust of the screw to hold the slide more firmly in position and also to keep the exterior surface of the foot of the stick from being marred or indented by the point of the screw.

To change or adjust the width of the space in which the type are to be placed the screw is loosened from contact with the interposed washer by turning it back with the lingers or by means of a screw driver or other implement inserted in the nick in the head of it, when the slide is moved to the required position and secured` in that position by turning down the screw tight upon the washer.'

The advantages of our improvement over the composing stick in common use are that it permits an adjustment of the width of the space in which the type are to be placed to any required degree within its limits, to be made with great facility, and by the simple loosening of the screw, and retains the slide securely in position when the adjustment is made.

We do not claim making a composing stick adjustable to different widths, nor do we claim making it with a solid footor bottom stile without apertures for the insertion of the fastening screw, but

Vhat we do claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isrIlle. application to the slide of a composing stick of the flange C and the screw E in combination with the washer F interposed between the point of the screw and the exterior surface of the foot or bottom stile of the stick as herein described and for the purposes set forth.

JAMES VTIDGrEVVELL. i WILLIAM TIDGEWELL.

Vitnesses B. P. ELLIOTT, JONATHAN BARNES. 

